Warr Acres responds to sinkholes tied to Oklahoma City water leak, approves resolution to ask OKC to cut service for delinquent sewer accounts and raises admin/

Warr Acres officials on May 20 described two sinkhole incidents tied to a migrating water leak from an Oklahoma City main and approved actions to recover unpaid sewer fees by asking Oklahoma City to terminate water service where sewer fees were delinquent.

Public works staff reported that on April/May storm events the city discovered a large void at a parking lot on 60 Third in Woodcreek Court. “About a 30 foot diameter hole developed about 20 feet deep,” staff said, and attributed the excavation to a leak on an Oklahoma City 12‑inch main that migrated through soil, undermining pavement and a manhole interface. Staff described a second sinkhole later that week in a residential yard about 11 feet deep and about 15 feet long between two houses. Contractors and the city installed temporary fencing, traffic controls and bypass pumping; staff said Craft Rentals had installed about 50 feet of pipe and worked on repairs while the city coordinated with Oklahoma City to locate and fix the source.

Staff described the repair timeline: city crews secured the site and obtained water‑line samples; Oklahoma City personnel arrived late that night and staff stayed on site through the early morning; city staff said the main was repaired the next morning. Staff recommended mapping city sewer lines versus Oklahoma City lines and publishing after‑hours contact guidance so residents and maintenance crews know whom to call for urgent leaks.

On a separate, agendized utility item the council held a final public hearing and then voted to forward a list to Oklahoma City asking them to disconnect water service at properties with unpaid sewer fees, with the council’s motion excluding three accounts that had since paid. City staff (Crystal) said, “I had 3 of the cases ... Roger Galbraith, Edward Rutherford, and the Benignes Fuentes. Other than that, I haven't had any payment contact from anybody else on the list.” The council opened the public hearing, received no in‑person comments, and approved the action to send the disconnect list; the motion passed by roll call.

The council also considered and approved an ordinance amending the municipal code (section cited in staff materials as 3.07.03(b)) to increase the administrative fee the city charges when it pursues termination of service for delinquent accounts. Staff explained the fee change is intended to recover actual costs the city incurs — attorney work, certified mailing and process‑server service — beyond the prior $50 administrative charge. Under the updated fee structure staff described: the base administrative fee would increase (staff stated the ordinance updates would raise the fee to better reflect attorney and processing costs), with additional process‑service charges applied only if certified notices are not picked up.

Council discussion noted the ordinance and fee are designed to recoup the city’s direct costs rather than to create revenue; staff said most accounts subject to the termination process ultimately come in to pay after notification and that only a small number of accounts remained unpaid after termination. The council approved the ordinance and a separate emergency clause to make the fee change effective immediately; staff said previously mailed notices would not be retroactively charged the higher fee.

Councilmembers asked staff to include the updated fee schedule in mailed notices and to continue outreach about available payment arrangements. Staff also said they will work on sewer/line mapping and improving after‑hours contact information for residents and contractors.